Package for milk and other fluid products



Dec, 28, 1943. s, BERCH 2,337,730

PACKAGE FOR MILK AND OTHER FLUID PRODUCTS Filed June 24, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l 3nnentor SAMUEL b. 5590/,

a 2 l 22/ )H 25 I (Ittorneg.

Dec. 28, 1943f s, H, BERCH 2,337,730

PACKAGE FOR MILK AND OTHER FLUID PRODUCTS Filed June 24, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 yaw/Z1 4 m?" (Ittorneg Snvntor Patented Dec. 28, 1943 PACKAGE FOR MILK AND OTHER FLUID PRODUCTS Samuel H. Bel-ch,

Flexible Container Corporation,

Beverly Hills, Calif., assignor to Los Angeles,

Calif., a corporation of Nevada Application June 24, 1941,

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a package and particularly pertains to a package for milk and other fluid products.

In packaging various fluid products, it is desirable to provide an inexpensive container within which the fluid, such as milk, may be vacuum sealed to maintain the milk in a sterile condition and to prevent the growth of bacteria. It is also desirable to provide a non-metallic carton which may be easily opened in a manner to form a pouring spout and after which the spout may be closed and held in its closed position to maintain the contents of the container sanitary. It is the principal object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a carton into which fluid material may be introduced and within which the product may be vacuum sealed, the. carton being formed with a pouring spout which is sealed within the structure to be thus maintained sanitar'y, and which may desired.

The present be opened and closed as invention contemplates the provision of an outer semi-rigid carton, within which is disposed a collapsible vacuum-tight package or liner sealed independently of the carton and cooperating therewith to provide a sanitary spout and closure means therefor.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a view in perspective showing the container when it has been opened and is in its pouring position.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in perspective showing the end of the container and the manher in which the pouring spout is initially sealed.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 2, showing. the manner in which the pouring spout is sealed after it has once been opened.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view gitudinal section as seen 3 and discloses the details of construction of the outer carton and the inner bag.

Fig. 5 is a view in plan showing'the carton blank.

Fig. 6 is an end view showing the assembled carton.

Fig. 7 is a view in plan showing the blank for the inner liner or bag.

. Fig. 8 is an end view showing the assembled bag or line-r.

Fig. 9 is a showing the'bag tory to filling. v

Fig. 10 is a perspective ,view showing the sealing operation of the liner.

fragmentary view in perspective in its opened position prepara- Serial No. 399,497

Fig. 11 shows the bag after it has been filled and sealed and discloses the manner in which the ends are folded into the carton.

Fig. 12 is a view in perspective showing the pouring end of the bag and the position of the carton and bag parts prior to the time when they are initially sealed.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 5 of the drawings, it will be seen that the carton blank 10 is formed with side panels Ii, i2, i3 and M, which are separated by longitudinal score marks l5, l6 and I1. Adjoining the panel 14 and separated therefrom by a longitudinal score line I8 is a longitudinal sealing flap IS. The lower ends of the panels are defined by a transverse score line 20, and the upper ends are defined by a transverse score line 2 l Beyond the lower transverse score line 20 of the panels ii to M, inc., are sealing flaps 22, 23, 24 and 25, which form the bottom end of the sealed container. The side edges of the sealing flaps 22 and 24 are formed as continuations of the score lines l5, l6 and ll.

' and 32 and define two corner the flaps 23 and 25 are offset from the score marks so that the sealing flaps 23 and 25 are of slightly lesser width than the flaps 22 and 24, whereby clearance spaces are provided for a purpose to be hereinafter specified. The upper transverse score line 2! divides the side panels from sealing flaps 26, 21, 28 and 29. The sealingfiaps 21 and 29 agree in size and shape with the sealing flaps 23 and 25. The sealing flap 26 agrees in size and shape with the sealing flap 22. The flap 28, however, which is on the opposite end of panel 13 from the sealing flap 24 is different from the other sealing flaps in that it is scored and shaped to provide a sealing tab for the top of the package. In general, this flap is rectangular in shape. It, however, has a projecting tab 30 which is tongue shaped and is partially separated from the body of the The side edges of flap 28 by opposite parallel perforated score marks 3| and 32 and diagonal perforated score marks 33 and 34 which join the score marks 3| fields 35 and 36. A center score mark 31 extends from the score line 2i of panel I3 centrally of the flap 28 and the tab 30. Diagonal score marks 38 and 39 form continuations of the diagonal perforated score marks 33 and 34 for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

The blank l0 may be formed of any desired material. It has been found suitable to form it of light-weight cardboard, the inner and outer faces of which have been properly treated with a coating material which will render it waterproof. The carton formed from the blank i is folded, as shown in Fig. 6 so that the panel ll overlaps the longitudinal sealing flap l9 carried by the panel l4. The longitudinal sealing flap is then secured to the panel H by some suitable adhesive.

A bag-like liner 40 is provided to be inserted within the carton and to be glued into position. This liner is preferably formed of laminated sheet material comprising an outer sheet of nonstretchable material and an inner sheet of material impervious to moisture and gases, whereby a vacuum sealed bag can be produced. As shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings, a longitudinally extending sheet 4| of this material is provided. It is intended to be folded upon itself upon an intermediate transverse fold line 42, and to thereafter be heat sealed along the marginal fields 43 and 44 to form the seams 45 and 46. It will be evident that when the bag is folded to the rectangular shape, as shown in Fig. 8 of the draw lugs, and the lower end is squared, the side walls and the end walls will form triangular folded tabs 41 and 48, as shown in Fig. 8 of the drawings. After the liner 40 has been thus shaped it may be inserted into the carton which has been given its sectional form, as shown in Fig. 6. The tabs 41 and 48 are then folded parallel to each other, as shown in Fig. 12, and are secured to the upper end sealing flaps 26 and 28, respectively, after which the upper end sealing flaps 21 and 29 may be sealed down against the end of the liner 40. 'I'hefiap 26 is then scaled down onto the flaps 21 and 29, and the flap 28 is sealed into position with the tongue 30 overlapping the edge of the flap 26, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The container with its liner thus formed is then ready for filling.

The condition of the opposite end of the carton and liner at this stage of its formation is disclosed in Fig. 9 of the drawings. It is to be understood that the previously sealed and formed end of the package will be the top of the package when dispensed, and that the package is filled through the bottom while inverted. In Fig. 9 it will be seen that the opened mouth of the liner 40 projects above the end of the sealing flaps 22 to 25, inc. The package may then be filled in suitable filling apparatus and thereafter subjected to a vacuum action, after which the mouth of the liner 40 may be compressed to form a sealing portion 49, as shown in Fig. 10. When this sealing portion has been compressed the mouth of the liner will be sealed since the inner rubber faces are brought into contact with each other and the application of heat is made. Thus, the product within the inner liner is vacuum sealed and the sealed portion 49 may be folded down while the triangular members 50 and of the liner will lie outv rdly over the sealing flaps 22 and 24. While in this position adhesive may be applied to secure these triangular portions to the sealing flaps 22 and 24, after which sealing flaps 23 and 25 maybe folded down on the end of the filled liner, and then the flaps 22 and 24' may be folded down and secured by some suitable adhesive. It will thus be seen that the filled container is vacuum sealed and ready for commercial use.

When it is desired to open the container the edge of the tongue may be pried away from the end of the sealing flap 26 and from the position shown in Fig. 2. As this is done the tongue 30 will break the lines of perforation 3|, 32, 33 and 34, and will leave the portions and 3B of the sealing flap 28 secured to the sealing flaps 21 and 29. It will be seen that when this is done the tongue 30 may be pulled downwardly, thus uncovering the slit formed between the contiguous edges of the sealing flaps 21 and 29 and bending the triangular portion 48 of the liner outwardly and downwardly. The apex of this triangular portion may then be cut off by scissors or the like to form an opened slit 52 in the liner portion 48. The sides of the container may then be pressed at the corners of the triangular portion 48 so that the end of the container will bulge outwardly and will cause the slit 52 to open suificiently to allow the fluid to be poured therethrough. When a suilicient quantity of fluid has been poured pressure may be relieved and then be. folded against the end of thebox with its free end tucked under the edge 53 of the sealingflap 26. This will maintain the container sealed and the material therein in a sanitary condition.

The package may be vacuumized and sealed in a mold structure such as I have shown in my copending application entitled Method of packing food products and the like, Serial No. 210,038, or in some other type of apparatus. It will be evident that when a flexible package such as that represented by the inner liner 40 is vacuum sealed, the surrounding atmospheric pressure tends to collapse the package and compact the material therein, whether it be liquid, powder, granular material, or a solid. This may cause the package to beirregular in form. In the present instance, however, the flexible bag comprising the inner liner 40 is secured to the outer carton at its ends only and is free to collapse along its sides, and since the side walls of the collapsible package are independent of the side walls of the outer container, the outer container will retain its uniform size with straight sides and straight corners.

It will thus be seen that the container here disclosed may be inexpensively manufactured, and will insure that perishable products, such as milk, may be vacuum sealed and maintained in a desired condition of freshness and sanitation for long-periods of time, and that furthermore, the container may be easily opened and thereafter sealed.

While I have shown the preferred form of my invention as now known to me, it'will be understood that various changes may be made in combination, construction, and arrangement of parts by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of my invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A carton formed from a blank having four main parallel fields scored to provide the four forated for a length, the flap being further formed with parallel perforated lines posite sides of the center line whereby sealing portions are provided to adhere to the folded flaps of the contiguous side walls, said at the opprovide a 2. A carton formed from a blank having four vforated for a extend beyond the side wall folds of the carton substantially the length of the end flaps, the portion of the liner bounded by the side walls adhering thereto, the projecting end portions of the liner being brought together along the median line of the container whereby a separate sealing flap will be formed transversely of the end between the contacting inner faces of the liner, said sealed portion being folded to provide opposite triangular end folds projecting beyond the end plane of the carton, the median line of one ofsaid folds coinciding with the median iineof the aforementioned scored flap whereby when the scored flap is severed along its lines of perforation together with the triangular portion of the inner liner may be swung outwardly and the end of the triangular portion of the pouring spout.

main parallel fields scored to provide the four walls of a carton and each field having sealing flaps at its opposite ends, the flaps each being of a width representing substantially one-halt.

the width of the carton end, one of said sealing flaps being scored centrally parallel to'the opposite edges of the flap and being scored dingo! of intersection with said intermediate diaional score lines being periength, the flap being further to a point score line, said formed with parallel perforated lines at the opthe outer edges of the flap at its base i adhering thereto, the

posite sides of the center line whereby sealing portions are provided to adhere to the folded flaps of the contiguous side walls, said portions only being sealed thereto, said scored flap having a central extension to project beneath the opposing end of material impervious to air and moisture, the abutting faces being capable of heat sealing, consisting of an open ended tubular element formed of flexible sheet material, the opposite element being of sufllcient length to extend beyond the side wall folds of the carthe portion of the liner bounded by the side walls projecting end portions of the liner being brought together along the median line of the container whereby a separate sealing flap will be formed transversely of the end between the contacting inner faces of the liner, said sealed portion being folded to provide opposite triangular-end folds projecting beyond the end plane of the carton, the median line of one of said folds coinciding with the median line of the aforementioned scored flap whereby when the scored flap is severed along its linesv of perforation the tree portion thereof together with the triangular portion of the inner liner may be swung outwardly and the end of the triangular portion of the inner liner Q severed to provide a pouring spout.

H. BEECH.

flap, a liner for said container formed 

